


The Road Ahead

by Hotaru_Mizuno



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst, Fae & Fairies, Faeries - Freeform, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Humor, M/M, Mage Arthur, Magic, Monsters, Murder, Mystery, Our boi Alfred is framed, Prince Alfred, Quests, travelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-27
Updated: 2021-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-28 20:08:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30144933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hotaru_Mizuno/pseuds/Hotaru_Mizuno
Summary: When life has taken him down for the worst, Alfred finds himself on the run with a high bounty on his head and the whole kingdom hunting for his blood. He's innocent, he knows he is, but not one person will believe him. Not even his own familyBut someone does. Alfred ends up meeting Arthur, a mysterious mage dressed in sparkling clothes. He promises Alfred a way to find his home again, a way to make everyone believe him. A way to find the truth.What choice does he have?
Relationships: America/England (Hetalia)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya^^
> 
> A little au I have been working on for the past few weeks or so. Another fantasy one with a prince Alfred and a mage Arthur yeaaaaaahhhh. I can't help myself okay lol.  
> This is set roughly in the 1200s, so right around the highs of the Medieval period and the middle ages, that sort of setting. We have all of our main magical suspects, along with some of my own. 
> 
> I finished two chapters to post, mainly to see if I would be able to invest myself to keep going further. This is probably going to end up being a side project, considering I already have another fic on my plate and school to deal with, so this one would be slow going most likely. 
> 
> I do hope you all enjoy.

Alfred's legs were burning.

Buildings and trees and people whipped past him in a blur, Alfred's mind whirling as he ran, and ran, and ran, putting one leg in front of the other and not daring to look back or even think back. His lungs begged for air, his limbs screamed for him to stop, but he didn't dare to slow down, he had to keep going! He had to-

Screams, shouting, orders, they were getting closer! Alfred felt his heart thunder even harder in his ears as he begged his body to keep going. He can't let them catch him, he can't, can't, _can't, can't, can't, cant-_

And then he stopped.

Something collided with, something solid. There was a scream, several shouts, and Alfred's world was sent crashing down to the streets below his feet.

Alfred moaned, feeling his entire body burn as whiplash caught up with him, as reality caught up with him. Dirt clouded his eyes, blood ran from his palms, but Alfred didn't dare stop- he had to get up, he had to get back up! Those men, they're gonna catch him, get him, get up, get up, get up-

Someone's hand seized his shoulder.

"Oi!! Are you listening to me? You just ran straight into me you bloody codger!"

Alfred's head turned sharply, fear seizing his heart, fully expecting to see a soldier- but instead, his eyes meet those of a completely different man.

An angry man. "Are you even listening to me!?" The stranger repeated, bright green glaring menacingly.

Oh, thank God. Alfred quickly pushed himself off the man he had run into, nearly tripping over the other man's cloak as he stumbled back to his feet. "I-I'm sorry, really, I'm sorry, I have to go! I have to-"

Just when he felt the wind bite his face once more, something grabbed his shoulders and jerked him back.

Alfred's heart nearly jumped out of his mouth as he felt hands seize him, as he felt everything stop. No!

"Got you!" One of the soldiers barked loudly in his ear, twisting his arm as Alfred began to struggle.

 _No, no, no, no, no!_ "L-Let me go!" Alfred yelled, fear grappling him madly as he struggled against the soldiers invading hands and restraints. _No, no, no,_ _no-_ "Y-You bastards! Stop! Let me go!"

The two soldiers holding him shoved him back to the ground. Alfred fell with a yelp, pain shooting through his body as another soldier kicked him to get him to stop showing resistance. "Shut it, you! Make sure he doesn't run off this time, the Queen will have our heads!"

"What on earth are you doing to him?"

The soldiers stopped moving in surprise. Alfred did too, looking up weakly at the intrusion. It was the man he bumped into! Alfred didn't even realize he was still here!

The soldier scoffed, and then pressed his boot into Alfred's back, ignoring the captive's pained groans. "It's none of your concern. Run along, now, little Fae-Folkie."

The man didn't seem fazed, only a little offended by that comment. He raised a rather big eyebrow. "Is such harsh treatment necessary?" He asked dryly, his green eyes surveying the scene coolly. Alfred felt his spine shiver as they passed over him, passed over the dirt on his face. What was he doing....? Was he out of his mind?

The soldier who had spoken earlier glared. He dug his heel even deeper into Alfred's back, pushing him into the dirt without another thought. Alfred's breath came out in haggard bursts, the poor prince silently praying that something would happen, something, anything- "This is a criminal! He betrayed the throne. Wouldn't you say it's all the more better to treat him like the dirt he is?"

The man was silent. Alfred's mind thundered like an uncontrollable storm of wrath as he started up at the intruding man, stared up at his glittering, blue cloak. What was he doing? Why wasn't he turning a blind eye like everyone else? Oh God, he was going to get himself hurt. Not one of his-

And then their eyes met. Alfred nearly fainted from it all right then and there, staring up into that face with drowning fear. It remained unmoved, unenthused, completely neutral. Alfred simply stared back for what felt like an eternity, feeling dread pool into his gut as he struggled against the boot into his back. Please, he silently prayed, moments away from begging the stranger. Please…...

And then the stranger's eyes snapped back up to the soldiers. "Let him go."

The soldiers burst into laughter.

"What? I beg your pardon?" One of the soldiers jeered, holding Alfred's right side to the ground tightly.

"I said let him go." The stranger in the cloak said calmly. "Was that not clear enough?"

One of the soldiers, the one with his boot on Alfred's back, stopped laughing. He growled, releasing his weight from the prince's back Alfred breathed in grateful gulps of air, watching the scene with complete and utter trepidation. "You've got some nerve, don't you? Didn't anyone teach you to respect the throne?" The soldier hissed, approaching the man threateningly.

The man didn't move. "Actually, no, not really. Apologies." He said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

This seemed to annoy the soldier, clearly not used to citizens talking back to authority. "I'm warning you, Fae-Folkie, one more little comment like that, and-"

"You know that I'm human, right? It's considered polite to ask someone's name." The stranger interrupted him. "Care to use it?" Alfred's heart dropped. Oh, God. That poor man was done for. There goes his only hope for survival.

The soldier growled loudly, drawing his sword. "Why you-"

It all happened at once. There was a great, big, loud, _bang!_ Dust blew into Alfred's eyes as his ears began to ring, the prince cringing back in pain as the wind blew right over him. Something fell to the ground with a loud thud, armor clattering like broken china. Slowly, Alfred opened his eyes…..

…..and then they widened. Green, bright light was brewing from a staff shaped like a shepherd's hook in the stranger's hand, a staff that definitely wasn't anywhere to be found before. The soldier had been blown to the ground, his armored chest plate in pieces around him.

H-He….He was a _mage!_ Holy……

The other two soldiers quickly began to panic. "Captain! Are you alright!?" One of them yelled, grip tightening on Alfred. Alfred didn't even register it, still lying there in utter shock. Magic…..!

The soldier, the captain, growled like a feral dog. "Y-You….urchin! How dare you use magic against us! Men! Arrest him!"

His companions leaped forward to do just that, blindly stomping over Alfred as they drew their swords. The prince watched in captivation as the stranger raised his staff, his midnight blue cloak billowing behind him- and down it went, another flash of great green light bursting out. It hit the two soldiers like a solid force, blasting them back onto the ground with the force of a cannon. They collapsed to the ground, unconscious as their armor busted into pieces around them.

The remaining captain was now enraged, struggling to get up on his feet. "You!! You bitch!"

There were no great bursts of magic this time. The stranger simply walked by, rolling his eyes as he lightly pointed his staff at the man's head. Within seconds, the captain's face slackened, and he fell limp.

Alfred was frozen where he was. W-What…..that was…….Alfred flinched as a hand was offered to him.

"You alright?" The stranger spoke quietly.

Alfred didn't answer, utterly speechless. His eyes traveled upward, to the wooden staff that still seemed to buzz with that great power, to a face that seemed to radiate it just as much. He had just…This man had just saved him….! "I-I….I-I…." Alfred stuttered stupidly. "Y-You're a mage!"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Did it not seem obvious, lad?"

Alfred swallowed, and slowly took his hand. Oh, God, what on earth was he supposed to say? He had been so scared, he just couldn't think, it was all so fast! His legs trembled as he was helped to his feet by the stranger. "Oh my God….b-but….they'll put you on the wanted list now! Don't you realize who those guards were?"

The man snorted, a look of distaste appearing on that round face of his. "I think it's plain to see how little regard I have for such things. Now, I do believe I just saved your life. Do I get a thank you or not?"

Oh! God, where were his manners?! "I-I, of course! Sorry, thank you! I just-, you were just, you used magic!" Alfred said, unable to let it go. He had never seen magic before! And a man had just saved his life while using it!

The man sighed, lowering his hand. "You don't seem to be the brightest of the bunch, do you?" He narrowed his eyes. "I do trust you won't get into trouble anymore, less my efforts be in vain."

An ugly feeling began to crawl its way back up Alfred's throat. Oh. Oh. Right. Alfred looked away hastily. "Right, of course. Thanks, I, er, can I get your name?"

The stranger paused. It was an uncomfortable silence, one that only made Alfred feel worse, the relief he had once felt now at the bottom of the troph. That's weird. Why was he…?

The mage turned, his staff disappearing into thin air as he walked away. "Good day." He said quietly, back turned as his cloak swept after him.

What? But! But! "H-Hey! I'm sorry! Come back!" He said, confusion swimming in his brain as the man ignored him, walking into the sea of people. By the time Alfred could even comprehend it all, he was gone….Alfred couldn't see him.

He had disappeared into the busy streets, and Alfred was alone once again.

Alfred stayed standing there, thoughts still flying. That stranger, why did he want a thank you if he didn't even want to give him a name to remember him by? That was weird. Why did he save him then? Out of pure spite? The prince sighed. He supposed it didn't matter. He can't stay here. He can't

He flinches as he remembers his mother's screams, his father on the ground, blood everywhere- No! No, not now. Please, dear God, not now. He just can't. He shouldn't just stand around, out in the open. He needed a plan, and fast. Alfred wasn't all too about planning ahead, but it won't take a genius to know he won't be so lucky next time. He needed to get out of town. Fast.

He needed food. He needed supplies. He needed a weapon, he needed a plan. God, he was terrible at this! Where was Matthew when he needed him? _Don't kid yourself, you know he wouldn't dare look you in the eye._ Okay, bad thought. Bad thought! He needed to think of something, be of some use, st least before nightfall. He shuddered to think what would happen if he stayed in town much longer than that.

He needed…..He needed…..

Alfred sighed. He needed a plan. Badly.

______________________

The prince surveyed the small selection of bows laid out before him. Upon asking, the seller in the stall had simply taken his measurements, and then laid out a selection for him. He even offered to make one for him, but Alfred wasn't willing to wait that long. It would take far too much time.

Alfred stared at the bows, completely dumbfounded. Shit. He didn't know the first thing about bows. They all looked the same! What was he supposed to do? Did he want the one with the fancy handle? The one with extra strings? Geez, he was starting to wish he paid more attention when his father took him hunting.

His father……

Alfred swallowed down his feelings. "I can't choose. What do you think?"

The salesman gave him a look. He shrugged. "What do you need one for? Let's start with that."

Alfred nodded slowly. "I need one for hunting," Alfred spoke slowly. He hesitated. Surely he could tell someone that much? "Im….travelling, yeah? I need to save money, so yeah, I kinda need to hunt for food."

The salesman nodded thoughtfully. "Have any experience hunting? With a bow?" He asked, stroking his beard.

Alfred slowly nodded, starting to get a little nervous now. The hustle and bustle of the market around him was making him so anxious. It was like at any moment, a soldier could jump out and get him. This was such a terrible idea, but there was no turning back. He just had to get out of town. _He just had to get out of town. He just had to get out of town._

"Welp." The salesman said. He gestured to the bow in the middle, the one that was the longest, with a handle for his fingers to go, and a real tight string. "This will be your best bet then. It's one of the strongest I got. You might wanna buy extra string though, since you'll be going on the road and all."

Alfred nodded again, taking the bow from the salesman. He examined it gingerly. He smiled. It sure was nice.

"You like archery lad?" The man asked, noticing his smile.

Alfred shrugged. "Not really. I'm a lot better with a sword. I just…."

The salesman raised an eyebrow. "So why not buy a sword then? You'll still get lots of game."

Alfred froze. Get a sword? Him? A sword that's not…..that's not- "I just….i thought a bow would be better, right?" Alfred quickly blurted, trying to calm the upcoming wave of emotion. His sword. His father. God- "So this one then?"

The man seemed silent, eyeing him. Alfred nearly made a run for it right then and there, but to his immense relief, the man nodded. "Yep? Wanna test it? I've gotta spare arrows around here. Whaddaya say?"

''I'd like that," Alfred said, offering a smile. The salesman nodded back. He walked to his back desk, producing a giant wooden bucket. It was filled with arrows, cheap ones that were slightly dull at the tips. He passed one to Alfred.

Alfred took it, the arrow very familiar in his hands. Oh, the last time he had held a bow was a whole year ago! He had managed to shoot one of the garden's peacocks right in the head! His father had called it "the red peacock incident", joking about it for weeks.

_Father……_

Alfred drew in a shuddered breath, and then, without hesitation, he drew his bow, locking the arrow in place just like how he had been taught since childhood. He aimed at the target and took his shot. It landed straight on target, a near-perfect bullseye.

The salesman clapped his hands. "Hey! Nice shot, my boy! Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

Alfred shrugged, lowering his weapon. "Er, you know. Places."

The salesman laughed at that. "You're a vague one, aren't you?" Alfred made a panicked face at this, but the other waved his hand. "Oh, it's okay. I get all sorts of folk out and about here. So, will that bow be going with ya? Wanna try another one?"

Alfred shook his head. He should quit while he was ahead. "Nope, this is fine. Can I see arrows? And um, string too?"

The salesman was a kind man, giving him advice as he showed him around the stall, showing arrows and other supplies. His mood did good in raising Alfred's even if it was only fleeting. Soon enough, he had a whole quiver full of them, with a whole range of things for his bow in the many pockets on the bag.

Because of this, Alfred only figured he should show his gratitude by giving him good money for such good services.

The salesman, however, was very surprised. "You're paying me in gold?" He asked, eyes widening at the small handful of gold the prince was trying to give him.

Alfred grinned. "Just take it. It ain't gonna bite you. You deserve it, okay?"

The man laughed at this. "You're a strange fellow then. I woulda' only asked for about a few hundred pieces of silver."

Alfred shook his head. "Just take it."

The salesman finally nodded, quickly pocketing his new profits. "You sure are a strange boy, aren't ya? I'm sure everyone around here would help if you're gonna pay them with gold!"

Alfred laughed with him, not meeting his eyes. He hoped the whole town wouldn't help him. He didn't need attention. "Can you tell me which way the nearest town is?"

The salesman paused. "Hmm….Nottingham is a few miles or so away, but that's a simple farming village. If you need a good first stopping point, you'll have to go farther down south, down that river, you know, to Monolith. That's a good day or two worth of walking though. You should think about buying a horse or somethin'."

"Right. I'm considering it." Alfred said. But he already knew how bad of an idea that was. He should leave before even considering that. "Thanks for the bow."

The other clapped his back. "Hey, it was my pleasure, good lad! Happy travels!"

Alfred nodded, offering a wide grin as he left the stall, a new bow, and quiver saddled on his back. The smile left his face as soon as he was out of sight though. Yeah. Happy travels. Alone. _Alone._

Happy indeed.

____________________

"Only milk? What are you, some kind of little kid?"

Alfred grinned sheepishly. "Drinking wouldn't do me any good, alright? Just milk please."

The tender looked at him, his small, beady eyes narrowing. Alfred smiled back, anxiety climbing. Should he have ordered a real drink? Was a man not drinking so suspicious?

But the tender of the tavern sighed heavily, mumbling various things under his breath as he rummaged around. Finally, he produced a small glass and a bottle. He opened it with a _crack!_ And a white liquid slowly filled the glass.

That was close. Alfred smiled thankfully, throwing a gold coin on the table for him. "Thanks. Keep the change."

The tender eyed the coin, before shrugging and sliding it into his hand. He grumbled some more, walking off to serve more customers.

Alfred took a grateful gulp of his glass of milk, sighing as it went down his throat. Never in his life had he ever been so grateful for a singular glass of milk. It felt so good, it was simple bliss! Alfred sighed, staring at the table. The tavern was quiet, the sun only just below the horizon. It wasn't the right time for there to be anyone. There were only stragglers, and a rather loud party in the back, already drunk and rowdy, despite how early in the night it was.

Buying flood and supplies had been a challenging affair. It was hard enough trying to stay out of sight, and knowing just what to buy was hard. He didn't know the first thing survival and travel, and there was no way he could carry everything he needed, but a horse was definitely out of the question right now. His luxurious upbringing afforded him good knowledge when it came to the hunt, so buying a bow and arrows hadn't been too hard. He still didn't have a sword though. He missed having his own sword, his old friend….but….

The prince stared at the aging wood. God, what was he going to do now? It's funny, now that he had finally stopped, had finally slowed down, he could think. Really think. He didn't like it. He hated being alone with his thoughts, and oh, was it terrible now. He was scared, terribly so. Could you blame him? He had no idea where to go! It's not like he had street smarts! Princes don't have those! Oh, he was as good as dead!

No, he wasn't. He can't! He just needed a plan! Oh, he had been saying that to himself all day! Oh geez, what on earth was he going to do? It would take a miracle to make him survive out here. A bag of gold wasn't going to last him forever, and then what? Then what?

The party in the back began to snicker rather rambunctiously. Alfred nervously snuck a glance, realizing they were all snickering at him. What were they on about? Alfred turned back to his drink, a knot forming his already queasy stomach. Ugh, he felt so much like throwing up right now. He had nobody to go to, and he hated it. He was so alone, so alone. He was so scared, he was so, so alone, so…..so-

"You want a refill, milk-drinker?"

Alfred flinched, head snapping up to the pudgy bartender. He seemed rather miffed, but the prince couldn't tell whether or not that was his fault. Alfred hesitated, before pushing his glass forward. "Sure." He mumbled. He quietly offered his gratitude as he was poured a fresh glass, sighing to himself. He gulped some more down without another thought, quietly wondering if he should ask the bartender for help. Would that be too risky? What if……

The chair next to him scraped back on the wood. Alfred glanced curiously, only to instantly do a double-take.

"One glass of honey wine please." A familiar, silky voice said. Alfred's eyes widened in shock as he watched the cloaked man sit down.

"Y-You're….!" Alfred blurted. "You saved my life today!"

The mage turned, noticing the prince. He turned his lips. "Don't make a big deal out of it. You'll attract fleas with your mouth open like that."

Alfred quickly shut his mouth, his ears ripening with embarrassment. "Sorry. I just….I've never seen magic before!" He confessed, feeling childish excitement rush in like tidal waves. "It's cool, what you did, you know?"

The mage scowled a little at that, but stayed quiet, nursing his glass of wine. Alfred watched him dig around in his pockets for money, the curiosity enough to kill him. The mage had such fancy clothes on too. A corset, a fancy, blue cloak with fancy embroidery, shiny buttons, and a shiny belt. It was….pretty. Was he nobility?

"It's not nice to stare." The man said, sitting stiffly as he sipped his wine. His hood was drawn up, blue surrounding his face, his golden hair. It looked so soft to the touch. He hadn't ever seen hair that was soft like that.

"Sorry," Alfred mumbled, flustering up. Damn, he is such an idiot. No doubt this stranger thought he was one too. "I, uh, thanks again. For saving my life. I really mean it."

"I saved your life, did I? Are you on the death penalty or something?" The mage snorted, sounding a little annoyed.

"It's a long story," Alfred said. God, that was a lame excuse. Well, so on to the man who didn't even want to share his name. "I never got your name."

"I never gave it to you." The mage said coolly.

"Oh. Right." Alfred said, feeling really awkward now. He leaned forward. "Where did you learn to do magic like that? It's really awesome."

The mage scowled at him. "You talk a lot."

"Yeah, I know. My folks can't get enough of me." Alfred grinned. Hahahaaha- "Where does that staff go when you make it disappear? Does it discombobulate or something?"

"That's not a real term." The mage sighed, rubbing his brow. Even his hands seemed to be fancy somehow, his skin pale and fair. It looked like he had lived in a palace and never stepped out. "And no, it doesn't just disappear. It goes into my satchel."

"Satchel?" Alfred repeated, confused. What? He leaned back, spotting the said item, tied to the mage's belt. "But….. it's so small."

"It's not, you dunce." The mage snapped. "I use magic to make the inside big enough to suffice my needs."

Holy shit! "Really? That's cool!" Alfred exclaimed. "Can you fit me in there?"

The mage glared. "I'll be fitting a body in there soon if you don't stop asking stupid questions."

Oh. Alfred's heart sank. "Right." He muttered, sagging considerably. Aw man. Of course the super cool wizard guy was a grumpy jerk. Figures.

The next few minutes passed in complete, utter silence. It was severely awkward, the air dropping like heavyweights on Alfred's shoulders. He kept sneaking glances at the mage, watching him. The mage sat there, not saying a word to anyone. He seemed to be off in his own world, his bright green eyes staring at nothing in particular. They were so pretty…..like little green jewels…….

"You're staring again." The mage spoke.

Alfred panicked. Shit! "I-I'll stop if you want me to, it's kinda just…."

The mage rolled his eyes. "You don't get out much, do you?"

Alfred earnestly shook his head. "Nope. Not really."

The mage sighed. "I guessed as much. I suppose you're traveling then?"

"How did you guess?"

The mage gave him a look, as if to say he was stupid for asking such a thing. "You have a bag full of supplies and a bow that wasn't there when I saved you earlier today. Obviously, you plan to go somewhere."

"Oh," Alfred muttered. Dear God, this man was making him feel so dumb. "Are you….traveling too?"

The man paused, before turning back to his drink. "Maybe." He said.

Alfred leaned closer. "Really? Where are you going? Does it have to do with magic?"

The mage huffed. "Yes and no, but I'm afraid I won't be sharing that with you. I'm just going south, to the mainland."

"The mainland?" Alfred asked, amazed. He hadn't ever left this island. It sounded so cool! "Have you been there before?"

"No."

"So then why are you going?"

The mage glared at him. He stared at him, an impassive look on his face. Alfred briefly wondered if he had angered the man, briefly wondered if the man suspected him at all, but instead, even more shockingly, the man smiles just a little. A soft turn of his pale lips. But then it's over just as it had begun.

The mage leaves a handful of silver on the counter. "Bartender, make sure that covers the rest of this lad's drinks, would you?" He says as he gets up.

What? But! "You're leaving? Wait-" Alfred called, starting indignantly between the money and the mage.

"Just take it." The mage said, not soaring him another look. "Good night, lad."

"But!" Alfred called, tripping over his chair legs as he hastily got up, but it was too late. The tavern door has already slammed before him.

"Damn." He muttered, standing there in the middle. Why did he have to leave? He quite liked the mage. He just……

"Hey milk boy!"

"What?" Alfred said, confused. The party who had been sitting in the back of the tavern had noticed him apparently. And apparently, they were all in different ranges of totally drunk.

The one closest to him grinned. It was a grin that made him gag. "You got gamblin' money, milk boy?"

Gambling money? Alfred unconsciously stepped back, already a little uncomfortable. "No, I don't, thanks." He muttered quickly, already turning to his seat. Those men were disgusting.

"Don't lie to us! I saw you pay that bartender with gold!" A second man jeered.

"He did? For a lil' ol' glass of milk?" A third man said, laughing rather loudly as beer slipped down his front.

"Just leave me alone okay? I don't want to gamble." Alfred growled, starting to get annoyed. Is this all drunk commoners did? Scare people and gamble in the shadows? Gross.

"Hey, aren't them royal guard soldiers looking for a man with that much gold?" The first man said, turning back to his companions.

Alfred froze.

The second man nodded rapidly. "Oh yeh! Sayin' they're looking for a man with a lot o' gold and fancy looks!"

Alfred slowly turned around, heart filled with dread as he saw the entire table staring right at him. Oh no….

The first man grinned viciously. "That be you, ain't it, milk boy?"

Alfred swallowed. "No, of course not! I'm just-"

"Travis! Go get some guards! We gonna get ourselves some gold!" The third man yelled, shoving a fourth man off his seat.

"Right! Right!" Travis shouted, already fumbling for the door.

"Hey! Wait! We can talk about this!" Alfred said desperately, trying to grab onto one of the leaving man's arms. The man slapped his hand away, already out the door.

"Get 'em!"

"Don't let him go!"

Alfred jumped as the man got up from their seats, the blood rushing from his face. Shit! Fuck! Alfred didn't waste another second pleading with them, already bursting out the door. He had to get out of here! Now, Now-

"Seize him!"

Alfred's stopped short as a whole group of guards turned the corner, trapping him. Alfred stumbled back against the tavern door, already making this fatal realization.

 _No!_ He tried to make a sharp turn, trying to make a run for it, but rough hands grabbed him before he could even think, his entire world spinning as he was thrust upon the stone streets. His head hit the ground hard, pain bursting through his skull. The world began to blur, his ears began to ring, and all he could hear was the shouting of guards around him.

_No……_

He moaned, trying to gain his bearings, but then two pairs of hands grabbed him, shoving him to his knees. Another pair of hands grabbed his hands, all of them fighting Alfred's weak attempts to escape their grip.

"Check his pockets! Check everything! The man said he has gold on him!" A guard shouted to his men.

"No! Hey, stop!" Alfred protested, feeling his voice crack under the pain. A guard hit him square in the gut to get him to shut up. He did, feeling his throat make a mere whimper as they shoved him around, digging in his pockets and seizing his brand new bow and supplies, his wrists being bound in painful ropes. "S-Stop! Stop it! L-Let me go!" He kicked one of the guards in the shin, succeeding in getting one of them to loosen their hold.

But the success was very short-lived. "You heathen!" The guard shouted, and then he punched Alfred, hard enough to send him reeling. Alfred fell back, yelling in pain, and then the soldier kicked him in the gut, once, twice, three times, and then a fourth time just to send him falling back into the ground once more.

Alfred slumped, breathing hard as his world kept on spinning, pain sinking into his skin like hot knives. He felt hot blood trickle down his face, saw it fall on the ground in front of him, his clothes stained with it. The soldiers held him steady, ripping his clothes as they rid him of all his belongings.

 _It's hopeless, isn't it?_ Alfred felt his chest fall into darkness. He couldn't fight them off. He was done for. Done for. _I'm done for…._

"Gold! I found his gold!" The guard beside him cheered, holding up his money bag. "He's the prince alright! We got 'em!"

"Good." The leader said. He nodded to his men. "Let's take him in then."

Alfred felt the icy depths take him as the soldiers went to shove him to his feet. It was over….he was going to die…..

Suddenly, one of the soldiers dropped to the ground.

Everyone froze. "Johnson! What are you doing?" The leader growled.

One of the soldiers closest to the fallen man walked over to check on him. "He's out cold, sir!"

"What?" The leader said outraged. He stomped over, looking livid, but before he could get there, something came up from behind and hit him sharply in the head. His face slackened, and then he fell to the ground, out like a light.

Alfred's eyes widened. What….? It can't be…..

"Captain!" The remaining guards yelled, all of them beginning to panic. They all drew their swords, preparing to fight.

Alfred watched in shock as shards of glass came whizzing out from the shadows, all hitting each of the men squarely in the head. They didn't even have time to scream or yell before they were all hit, each of them dropping like flies, one by one.

Until Alfred was sitting alone, barely keeping himself upright. Alfred stared, head still spinning in and out of focus. He blinked slowly as strength continued to leave his body. That was….that was…..

"You idiot! You just can't seem to stay out of trouble, can you?"

Alfred's head slowly turned. The blurry, blue form of the mage himself had emerged from the shadows, his staff in hand. He was saved…..!

He barely registered the man's glaring face. "Are you alright?" The man's fading voice said.

"I-I…." Alfred mumbled, eyes losing focus. "I-I….."

And then the world folded in on itself as he came crashing to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

The world was black.

Inklings of quiet pain seeped into Alfred's mind. Everything was nothing but darkness. Alfred could barely even process that he even existed. Everything was just dark…..and warm…..like fire. Like the warm hearth that was in his bedroom, or like the one in the parlor, where father used to read….

Where…...where…..

A quiet moan escaped his dry lips. Why was everything so heavy? Why did everything hurt? What happened to him…….

Oh…..oh yeah…...but then….

Alfred slowly attempted to open his eyes. He was met with light, blindingly so. Alfred moaned again, finding it unbelievably hard to do almost anything. Shit….Alfred then tried to open his eyes again, only to find the endless night sky meeting him.

Alfred blinked, things slowly coming into focus. There were trees and plants, and he was lying on the grass. This wasn't a cell of any kind. He was saved…! But, who….?

"You're awake then? Took you long enough."

Alfred blinked, and then his head turned. His eyes widened. "Y-You!" He croaked.

The mage's lips curled a little. "Hmm. For a prince, you have some beastly manners."

"I-I…." Alfred mumbled. Slowly, he managed to sit up. He stared down at himself, relieved to find everything was still the same. "W-What happened….?"

"You nearly got yourself caught by the royal guard again." The mage said pointedly from where he sat. He sat perched on a rock only feet away from Alfred, his cloak off to the side beside him. "You blacked out. I took you out here, and then I healed your wounds. You took a nasty beating from those stupid brutes."

Alfred found no words. He instead stared, nothing in his mind connecting at all. It was all so....jumbled. His hand slowly came up this head, rubbing his forehead a little. "You saved me? A-Again?"

"Did you expect to just watch them beat you into the roads?" The other man asked, folding his arms.

"Y-You don't even know who I am," Alfred muttered. He slowly looked around. "B-But….my things."

"All right here." The mage said, gesturing to the grass below. There, next to the mage's things, was Alfred's new belongings. "I have your gold too, not that it wouldn't have been a challenge to get it back."

"I don't know what to say." Alfred blurted, still holding his head. God, what did he do? It hurt to blink!

"How about a thank you?" The man said.

"I-I, right! Of course! Thank you!" Alfred said. Finally, he sighed, laughing to himself a bit. "God, I'm totally screwed aren't I?"

The mage looked unimpressed. "That's assuring." He deadpanned.

"Sorry, it's just, it's only been two nights and I've already been almost caught twice. I'll be lucky if I last a week." Alfred said, chuckling. Fuck, he must be going insane now. It was bound to happen sooner or later. He was hopeless! "Sorry, im terrible aren't I? I….you still won't give me your name if I ask, will you?"

The mage gave him another look, one that quite suggested that yes, he wouldn't waste his time with the hopeless prince, but then, to Alfred's surprise, he sighed. "My name is Arthur, since it seems we are now more acquainted than I ever could've predicted."

"Arthur?" Alfred repeated, tilting his head. The mage sure did look like an Arthur. "Like King Arthur? Like the legend?"

"Sure," Arthur said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I suggest you don't move around. You still have a rather bad concussion."

"C-Concussion?" Alfred repeated, feeling a little fainter at the words. He touched his temple. "Wasn't I...bleeding too?"

"Yes, but I healed your wounds, remember? Unfortunately, I can only heal burses and the like. I'm not well versed enough in healing magic to do anything about your head." Arthur said. He rummaged around, before getting up, producing a canteen. "Drink some water."

"You used magic?!" Alfred repeated, dumbstruck. Arthur glared at him, pushing the canteen at him. "O-Oh, sorry." He muttered, ears turning pink as he took the canteen. Now that he thought about it, his lips were so dry. He took grateful sips of water, moaning in relief as the water washed down his derived throat.

"Slowly now." Arthur snapped, folding his arms.

Alfred nodded, wiping his mouth with a sleeve. "Thank you! Really, I would be dead if it weren't for you."

Arthur sighed. "Your welcome. Let's not make a habit out of it, alright?"

"Right." Alfred sighed. Another wave of hopelessness washed over him. Oh, who was he kidding? He had an impossible road ahead of him, and no company on it whatsoever. What did it matter anyway? He couldn't even do anything on that horrible night, that horrible night when….he was so useless! He was as good as dead, and there was no way he could change that…..

_You couldn't even save your own father. He was being killed right in front of you and all you did was watch, you worthless piece of sh-_

"Are you even listening to me anymore?"

Alfred let out a small squeak, eyes blinking rapidly. Finally, he stopped to find Arthur staring at him like he was insane. "S-Sorry!" He quickly blurted. His eyes darted around, imitating his thoughts, before; "What were you saying?"

Arthur raised a bushy eyebrow. "I was saying I was going to start a fire, if you don't mind."

Alfred nodded, before realizing something very critical. "But there's no wood," Alfred said, frowning.

But Arthur only rolled his eyes. He turned his back, and with the stroke of a hand, his staff appeared before them. Alfred watched with widened eyes, only to see it be brought towards the ground before them, and then-

"Holy _shit_!" Alfred yelled, jumping from the ground as he saw fire burst out of the grass like it had been struck by lighting.

Arthur gave the frightened prince a dry smirk. The damn bastard was amused! "Should I have warned you?"

Alfred stayed where was; far, far away from the fucking grass on fire, holy fuck- "Is that even safe?!" Alfred demanded, looking at Arthur like he had just grown an extra head.

The mage simply rolled his eyes. "Perfectly." He answered lightly, sitting back down on the rock as if it were all completely normal. Oh yes! Of course one could just make a fucking grass fire and it wouldn't raise a single issue, of fucking course. Alfred is just so fucking stupid, isn't he?

Alfred stared some more, looking in an act of desperation between the fire and Arthur until the need for warmth finally replaced his shock, and he slowly sat back down, choosing to awkwardly go back to quenching his thirst instead.

There was a premature silence between the pair, one that steadily made Alfred nervous. His eyes darted from the fire to the ground, from Arthur to his canteen, over and over again. This man had just saved his life, twice in fact! With magic! And all he wanted was a thank you? All he wanted was to just sit here and not talk anymore? Oh ho, this day just kept getting better and better.

Alfred had to say something, didn't he?

"D-Did you want an explanation?" Alfred blurted. His cheeks reddened as he saw Arthur's head turn his way. _Fuck!_ "I-I mean, you save my life without knowing a thing about me. Don't you want answers or something?" He figured it would be obvious the mage wanted something, but what….?

Arthur snorted. "You act as if saving your life was a challenging feat."

"I, Well, Er-"

"And besides, one can tell a lot about someone without words," Arthur said offhandedly. He sighed, his green eyes looking at Alfred serenely. "For instance…..you're royalty, if I'm not mistaken?"

Alfred froze. "I-I….y-you…!" Alfred sputtered, heart beginning to pound madly. "How did you figure that out?!"

Arthur smirked at him. "The soldiers were yelling it at each other on the plain as day. Even an idiot would be able to gather that much."

Alfred opened his mouth again, but was now failing for words. He knew! He knew!! Now, what was he supposed to do!? No one was supposed to know! "B-But….Why save me? Why couldn't you just leave them be? I don't see why you didn't just leave me for dead!"

Arthur was quiet for a few seconds. His face was impassive, glowing in the firelight. His eyes didn't look at Alfred, and so Alfred sat there, starting to get scared out of his mind, thoughts racing, until; "I can tell when one doesn't deserve to die. I can tell when one's fear is of a death they know they should never have. "

"You….you think I'm innocent? F-For real?" Alfred said in disbelief.

Arthur's gaze returned to the prince. "Are you?" He asked placidly.

Alfred didn't hesitate. "Of course I am!"

"Then you ought to give me some answers. I don't pry into others' lives, but assurance that I've done a good thing would be nice." Arthur said, getting comfortable in front of the fire. He seemed to have been convinced that Alfred wasn't a threat anymore. His staff disappeared back into nothingness, the mage looking relaxed as he looked at the prince expectantly.

Alfred hesitated. Already, the unwanted memories were nudging at him, digging into him. He wanted nothing more than to forget, to make it all go away. Why did he have to know? Surely he could just lie? Fuck, the mage was a smartass, he would probably figure him out, and then he'd be the asshole, and then, oh he didn't have very many options!

He felt his mind ripple with earthquakes as he heard the screams echo in his brain. His mother's screams, louder than mere recollections should ever be. He closed his eyes, trying to push them away, before opening them again. He stared at the fire, wondering with sinking sadness what his mother must think now. What Matthew must think now. What they _all_ thought.

"I was framed," Alfred said quietly, his own voice sounding so distant. It fucking hurt to say it out loud, but he couldn't stop. "I never did anything, I would never. I was just….I was going to spend the day with my dad, when….w-when…." He felt his words get caught in his throat, like he was just going to vomit instead. He curled up on himself, feeling very small.

"You don't have to tell me if you can't," Arthur spoke up. "I won't pry…."

Alfred shook his head. "No...it's fine." He took another deep breath. "W-We we're going to meet in the front entrance, just by the western grounds. We were going to go hunting, but when I got there...he was…..he was being _murdered_ …."

Alfred felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. He blinked, feeling the utter fear he felt earlier when he saw his father drop to the ground, a knife embedded in his chest, his dying screams on his lips, the laughs of his killer echoing across the castle halls. "I-I didn't kill him. I-I could never. He was murdered in front of me. I saw it, t-they wouldn't listen, I would never, _never-_ "

"I believe you."

Alfred stopped, breath fleeting as he comprehended what the mage had said. "Y-You….?"

The mage showed not a crisp of emotion at this. In fact, it was hard to tell what was going on in his mind at all. "You are safe here. For now." Arthur went on. "How about you get some rest then?"

"Rest…..?" Alfred murmured. His head slowly looked around. "O-Out here…?"

Arthur gave him a dry look. "Well, you're safe here. Unless you want to try your chances at an inn back home?"

Alfred quickly shook his head. "O-Of course not." He muttered, getting up. "But what about you?"

Arthur glared. "What about me?"

"Don't you need sleep too?" Alfred said, feeling it should be rather obvious.

"I will be fine," Arthur said dismissively. "You, on the other hand, need sleep to help the healing spells I cast on you settle. Otherwise, your bones will still ache when morning comes."

"Oh," Alfred said, a little confused. What did that mean? It sounded cool. He thought about whether or not he should protest further, but then decided against it. Arthur seemed to only want what's best for him. Besides….he believed him.

He believed him.

Alfred went about preparing to sleep. He had never slept in a room that wasn't splendidly kept, but he knew how to make due. He did buy a cloak of his own at some point today. After all, it would be rather stupid not to have one while traveling. He'll just use that as a blanket then. And his bag and quiver could be his pillow too. It wouldn't be that bad.

It was only when he went to lay down did he begin to have second thoughts. Ugh, he could feel the wood of his arrows. He still felt so stiff, the cloak wasn't doing anything. Oh, he missed his own bed at home. He missed his soft pillows, his blankets. The roaring fireplace, the tall windows. How his father wished him goodnight every day.

Alfred sucked in a breath. His father was dead now. There was no turning back. He won't smile at him anymore. He won't wish him good night anymore. Or ruffle his hair or tell him to aim straight. Or laugh with him or defend his honor. He was alone. Alone. _Alone,_ _alone, alone, alone….._

"H-Hey, Arthur?"

"What is it, Alfred?" Arthur asked from behind him.

Alfred tried to sink deeper into his makeshift pillow. "G-Good night." He said, feeling his voice crack. He was seconds away from crying yet again, he knew it.

There was no answer. Alfred sighed quietly to himself, deciding it was good enough anyway. At least for now, he wasn't totally alone, even if the mage was a total stranger. He should really just try to sleep. Tomorrow is a better day. Yeah….

"Good night, Alfred."

______________________

_The hallways were dark and endless_

_._

_Alfred could barely breathe as he ran, ran, and ran and ran. The hallways never ended, each end a dark tunnel that just kept going and going, but he had to keep running! His father! His father!_

_And then he could come to a halt as he caught sight of the end. Only it wasn't the end. His father was dead on the floor, blood everywhere. Alfred froze, eyes glued helplessly on his father's dead body._

_And he was screaming...screaming! Screaming! Screaming!_

_Alfred! Alfred! Alfred!_

And then Alfred woke up, crying for his father.

Alfred panted hard, sweating as he caught his bearings. It was morning…..His father….His dad….!

Still dead.

Alfred groaned to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. That was terrible. He never wanted to dream like that again. It had felt so real! It had felt like….like….

Where was Arthur?

Alfred slowly looked around their little campsite. The fire was out, only a patch of dead grass in its place. Arthur's stuff was right there next to the rock, it hadn't even moved. Did Arthur even sleep? Where did he go?

A branch snapped. Alfred screamed, jumping up from his position. He tripped out his bag, nearly tumbling back to the ground as he turned around.

Arthur was standing there, looking very unimpressed. "Morning?"

Oh. Shit. "Morning," Alfred said, chuckling nervously. "You kinda scared me there."

Arthur merely rolled his eyes. He handed Alfred an apple. "Hungry?"

"Thanks," Alfred said, brightening at the prospect of food. He took the apple, surprised to find out how shiny and ripe it was. "You could've just asked me to hunt. I could've caught us a deer or something."

Arthur wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I don't eat meat." He said shortly.

"Why not?" Alfred said, confused. Why wouldn't anyone want meat? It was the best food in the world! Geez, these commoner people were a tough crowd when it came to food. What was their deal?

"I just don't." Arthur said. "You're more than welcome to hunt for yourself though."

Alfred nodded, still confused. Wait a minute, weren't those soldiers who caught him calling him names? Something about….Faeries? No, wait. He was human. He just had really nice clothes and didn't eat meat. No, no, no, he should just ask later. Assuming would be rude.

Instead, he shrugged, taking a bite of his apple, and sat back down. It tasted good. He took another bite, chew thoughtfully.

"So, do you have a plan?" Arthur asked, sitting down as well.

Alfred stopped chewing. "Uh…."

Arthur gave him a look. "You don't?"

Alfred grinned sheepishly. "I've been making it up as I go along actually." He said. "I don't have much experience with this, okay?"

"Clearly." Arthur snorted. "You might as well come up with one soon. You can't expect me to be there all the time to save you."

"Yeah," Alfred said, taking another bite of his apple, bitter now. Arthur was right. He didn't have a plan, and he couldn't just keep expecting to have his ass saved like that. But where would he go? How will he fend for himself? "You wouldn't happen to know if there would be a way to prove my innocence, would you?"

Arthur looked at him with interest. "Is that what you want?"

Alfred slowly nodded. "Yes, it is. I just want my family to know that I'm innocent. I don't want my mother to think her son killed his own father. There has to be a way, right?"

Arthur paused. Alfred sent out a silent prayer that he was indeed conjuring a way to fix everything. "Well….most ways I can think of that would benefit you best is through magic. Unless you've seen this killer's face?"

Alfred shook his head regretfully. "No...not really." Alfred felt guilt rise as he remembered the black-cloaked man who had killed his father, how he had laughed and fled without another thought. "He had his hood up and wore black. When I caught him, he ran off."

"I guessed as much," Arthur said. He furrowed his brow. Alfred felt hopeful, appreciating that the mage at least looked like he wanted to help his plight. "Although, I'm afraid, as I remember, the throne will arrange to kill you the moment you set foot back in the city."

"Yeah," Alfred answered. "But surely there has to be some way! I can't just leave!" He shuddered to think of this being how his family will remember him, how he could never return home.

"There might be a way," Arthur said evasively.

"What!?" Alfred demanded, sitting up straight.

Arthur shook his head. "It's rather dangerous for people with little to no experience in magic."

"I'm already on the run for my life!" Alfred snapped. "I'm enemy number one! Even if I leave the country, I won't be safe! What can be more dangerous than that?"

Arthur glared. "Magic can. You told me you haven't even seen magic until just yesterday. What do you think will happen, when you see dangerous magic? Sirens, trolls, curses, and even Faeries? There are many things that can kill you."

"Please just tell me!" Alfred pleaded desperately. "This is all I have left. If I don't do this, I don't have a family! I'll never get to see them again; they want to kill me! Please!"

Arthur seemed to hesitate for a few seconds. He sighed, exasperated. "There is a place I'm headed to. It's an ancient land of magic that belongs to the Fae. It's….how do I explain this to you? It's…. like a library, if you would, but rather than a traditional library, it records every waking moment into its catalogs."

"So it records….time?" Alfred said in disbelief. Gods, not knowing so much about magic was beginning to wear on him. He had to do some catching up. "But...does someone write them?"

"No, the library does it itself. It's magic." Arthur said evenly, rolling his eyes. "The Fae living there merely maintain it and protect it from others. You see, if you are indeed innocent, then the Great Library would've recorded the incident as it was. It would've written it with you as a mere bystander, and the culprit as exactly who they are, and their identity will be yours if you can take records as your own."

"So, hold on," Alfred said, frowning. "If I go to this magical library, I can just ask these people for this magic book that will tell everyone who really killed my father?" He summarized, looking hopeful. It sounded easy! He could do that!

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that," Arthur said, scowling to himself. "All Fae, whether they stand united or not, are a rather vain and selfish sort. It's not likely they will just give it to you."

Alfred nodded. "So I'll just steal it then!" He decided. That was easy too! He could do it! Alright, maybe he couldn't, but it's not like he had a choice!

"You cannot just steal from the Fae!" Arthur snapped irritably.

"Why not?" Alfred said stubbornly.

"You really are an ignorant idiot, aren't you?" Arthur growled, folding his arms. "Do you want to get yourself killed? Or worse? Both will most certainly happen if you manage to anger a Faerie, and I promise you it will be far from pleasant."

"W-Well," Alfred sputtered desperately, fishing for ideas. "You know a lot about magic!"

"I'm an amateur at best, it's not like I'm some kind of master-"

"But you can still help me can't you?" Alfred insisted. "You said you were going there yourself!"

"I will be far more equipped for this! If I take you I will be walking the crown prince to his death!" Arthur argued.

"It's not like I'm useless!" Alfred yelled, standing up now. "I won't make you regret it! I can hunt! Once we get to the next town I could even buy a sword! And a horse! You won't have to walk there!"

"I'm not worried about your usefulness, boy!" Arthur snapped. "I am worried for your safety!"

"What choice do I have?" Alfred growled. His voice cracked, and he faltered, shuddered. _Oh, what was the point? It was hopeless. He was hopeless. His father was dead. Dead, dead, dead….._ "W-What choice do I have?"

The Prince sighed in despair, falling back down. "J-Just….." He muttered, feeling tears once again. Oh, he didn't know anymore. He didn't know. It's hopeless. Hopeless. _Hopeless. Hopeless….._

"I believe you said you'd buy us a horse?"

Alfred looked up.

Arthur sighed, pinching his brow. "I cannot believe I am saying this, but I suppose I have no further argument."

Alfred widened his eyes. "You m-mean…..?"

"And I want a carriage too!" Arthur snapped irritably. "I refuse to ride a horse, alright, you- _hey!_ "

Alfred had caught the mage up in a giant hug. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He gushed, smiling giddily as he squeezed the living soul out of Arthur.

"H-Hey! Let go of me, y-you invasive twat!" Arthur yelled, squirming in Alfred's bone-crushing grasp. "L-Let go! Let go! I will change my mind, don't make me!!"

"Alright, alright!" Alfred laughed, releasing him. "I'm just, well, don't you know what this means?!"

"I've kidnapped an idiot to take on a super dangerous journey?" Arthur spat, rubbing his brow.

"No!" Alfred cheered, patting Arthur's back. "It means I actually have a chance now! I could show my face to my family again! You have no idea how much this means to me!!"

"Jolly good." Arthur sighed. And then, to his surprise, he smiled. "Do understand that I won't be eating anything you kill, alright?"

"I'll make that sacrifice." Alfred agreed happily.

"Don't be so giddy." Arthur sighed. "The Great Library is in the very center of the old Germanic lands. That is at least a few months of travel. It will not only take a very long time, but there are many perils on the way."

"Months….?" Alfred said, pausing. "Perils?" Geez, he didn't even know what that word meant.

"I warned you how dangerous it is." Arthur reminded him pointedly.

"If it's so dangerous, then why are you going?" Alfred asked, curious. "Is there some super cool magic secret you need or something?"

"Hm, yes. Know what it is?"

"Tell me!" Alfred demanded, leaning closer.

"It is the ability not to ask me stupid questions." Arthur snapped. "I have no intention of telling you."

"What? Why?"

"Because I don't wish to tell you," Arthur growled. He got up, his staff appearing in his hand. Alfred blinked several times, still very unused to it. "Now, finish your breakfast. It seems I will need supplies for two, not just one. Don't get into trouble."

Alfred frowned. "But I bought my own things. Where are you going?"

"Finish that apple," Arthur replied steely, walking into the trees that laid out before them.

Alfred sat there, confused. So many emotions were running in his head. This mage was such a strange character. But then again, he did agree to help him! That is something literally no one else had decided to do. He has to be grateful. Not even his own family had believed him. Not his mother, or his brother…..

His mood fell as he remembered Matthew's horrified screams, the way the killer had yelled for everyone to hear that the prince had killed the king. And they all believed it. Every single one of them. Even Matthew.  
Even his mother. And even if Alfred were to go to the rest of his family for help, even if he traveled to each corner of the kingdom for his relatives, who would they believe? That's right. Not him.

....

Not yet at least. Now, Alfred had some resemblance of a plan. He had a goal. He had hope. It wasn't much, but...at least he wasn't alone either.

Alfred took another bite of his apple. Yeah.

Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hibernia- Ireland. Litterally Medevial Irelannd.   
> Considering we are dealing with Faeries and what not, I thought it would be a nice little reference. That's not to say Arthur himself is Irish, he's not originally from there. 
> 
> Neitherora - This one I ended up with myself. It's not anything speical, it's literally just a combination of names I found on the internet. Very minimal Googling was done for this fic. 
> 
> I have 3000 words done on chapter 3 right now. Let me know whether or not you like this fic! I want to know! I want feedback! It would be highly appreciated even if you just leave a kudo or smth. I need something to work with.   
> If you can't, I will understand. I'll....just find someone to complain to.


End file.
